“Axe throwing is definitely one of the most unusual activities we sell, so when I got the chance to give it a go at our Tadcaster venue, I couldn’t wait. Even though I’ve never tried anything like axe throwing before I decided to go for the one hour experience, and I wasn’t disappointed.

The day started with a quick check-in at reception followed by a full safety briefing, and before we knew it it was time to head out to the axe throwing range. Our instructor Rick explained everything really clearly, but because we’d never tried axe throwing before it took a bit of time to get used to. He was really patient with us though and we soon got to grips with the technique, and started hitting the target.

After hitting the target a few times Rick decided to make things even more interesting by throwing in some competitions and games, which really spiced things up. I must admit I was a little bit nervous that my fiancé would beat me, but I just about managed to come out on top. Before the start of our session I was worried an hour of axe throwing might get a bit ‘samey’, but I couldn’t have been more wrong and the time absolutely flew by.

My favourite part of the experience came right at the end of the session when I got to throw two axes at the same time, which felt a bit like something from Lord of the Rings! It wasn’t until the last throw of the day that I managed to stick both axes at the same time though, but when I did it was a great feeling.

I’d definitely recommend an axe throwing experience, it’s totally unique and not like anything I’ve ever tried before – in fact it’s a bit like going back in time! Even though it’s undoubtedly much harder than it looks, it’s more about technique than strength, which means almost anybody can give it a go. The team at Tadcaster were brilliant, and Hazlewood castle is the perfect setting for this kind of target sport. A big thank you to everybody involved, especially our instructor Rick who was friendly and patient throughout.”

If Tom’s axe throwing adventure has inspired you to give it a go, visit our website to find out more about this ancient target sport.

Set in the heart of the stunning Herefordshire countryside our Ware target centre is the perfect place to put your power and precision to the ultimate test!

With tailor-made target ranges for both axe throwing and air rifles you’ll get to take on some of the trickiest targets around, but with the help of our experience instructors you’ll be taking out the targets in no time. You’ll get your hands on top-of-the-range equipment too, which means there’s no excuse for missing!

So whether you’re getting to grips with the double-headed Swedish throwing axes, or fine tuning your shooting technique at the rifle range your there’s no greater test of coordination and concentration.

Axe throwing is suitable for participants aged 16+, while air rifle shooting is suitable for those aged 14+. To find out more about our Ware axe throwing and air rifle venues visit our website.

To kick things off we sent our resident IT whiz Etienne axe throwing, and with him due to head down the aisle we thought he was the perfect candidate to test axe throwing’s stress-busting skills! Over to Etienne:

“With my wedding just a couple of months away I decided to try axe throwing to celebrate my stag do. I can’t say I was nervous about trying axe throwing, but because it was my stag party I was obviously wondering what my mates had in store for me.

The venue I visited was our Tadcaster axe throwing venue, and in total there were eight of us in my stag group. When we arrived our instructor Dom greeted us and briefed us on what to expect, and after we’d signed a form declaring ourselves fit enough to take part we went off to learn the basics.

Our instructor made axe throwing sound really easy, basically you have to hold the axe by the handle and throw it from six paces away from the target. It’s not quite so easy though! We had a couple of practice rounds to get used to the technique, and once we’d sort of mastered it we started to tally up our scores. But it was nothing serious and I just focused on having fun.

Towards the end of the session we were allowed to chuck our axes from much further, which was fun but even harder than before. Those that did manage to hit the target though scored some serious bragging rights, and even though I wasn’t one of them it was still pretty impressive.

The one thing that made our experience was our instructor Dom, who was very laid back and more than happy to provide us with tips throughout our session. I definitely improved as the session went on and it was mainly down to his help, in fact I could hit the target fairly comfortably by the end of our experience. So I think I did pretty well.

The experience was really good fun, and even though I didn’t know what to expect I’d definitely try axe throwing again.”

If Etienne’s 1 hour axe throwing experience has inspired you to try this ancient target sport, now is the perfect time to visit one of our 15 axe throwing venues across the country. To find your closest venue simply click here.

Located a short distance from the spectacular Sherwood Forest this brilliant multi-activity venue is home to four exhilarating activities, and with tailor-made target ranges for archery, axe throwing, air rifles and crossbows, where better to put your accuracy to the test than the home of Robin Hood!

As well as using top-of-the-range equipment, you’ll also receive full tuition from a team of experienced instructors too, which means you’ll quickly get to grips with the basics of each target sport. Almost anybody can master these tricky target sports, and as long as participants are aged 12+ they’re great fun for families, friends and team building events.

So whether you want to experience the power and accuracy of a crossbow, the elegance of a bow or the precision of an air rifle, our Budby venue is the perfect place to take on a range of target sports.